If you ask any chief marketing officer about the importance of “positive word of mouth” for their product or company, they’ll inevitably say “It’s absolutely critical, word of mouth is definitely a top priority for our business.” But, when you follow up with the question “What specifically are you doing to create it, measure it and monitor it?” you’ll get a mixed bag of reactions. Some will have legitimate answers, some will fall back onto vague buzzwords in lieu of a more concrete response, and some will try to convince you that it’s not really something you can measure, study or track at all.Click Here to Read Article …

“Work smarter, not harder” is a common aphorism used by those in constant pursuit of productivity. Generally, it cautions you to avoid hyper-focusing on the work itself, and to make conscious choices about exactly how you are working.

Of course, focusing on both your work and your approach can be a difficult game of mental juggling. Often, you have to simply “be smarter” if you want to “work smarter”. Becoming smarter is not quick and easy, but it’s not impossible either. In fact, a lot of new studies are suggesting that you’re not stuck with the brain that you were born with, and that you can develop your brain much like you’d develop your muscles; with increasingly harder workouts. Click Here to Read Article …

Regardless of industry, experience or pay-grade, all of our work ultimately consists of a long series of decisions. The thinking process behind them involves either careful, deliberate calculation or the use of instincts, impulses, and “following your gut.” In the workplace, terms like “Jack-of-all-trades,” “wearing many hats” and “thinking on your feet” bring to mind images of multitasking, prioritizing and decisive action. Click Here to Read Article …

Mass emails are a highly efficient way to communicate information among your peers. Putting your whole group on the same page – literally – eliminates unnecessary back-and-forth emails, and it makes for increased productivity and an overall unified purpose among your group.

Emails sent out to entire departments or companies are thoroughly proofread and heavily scrutinized. But, inevitably a few mistakes make it through the error-checking process, and once in a great while, that error can turn a productive, purposeful message into a confusing (and sometimes comical) blunder. Click Here to Read Article …

Good business networking is about discovering symbiotic relationships between businesses. The question that good networkers often ask each other is:

“How can I help you?”

Bad business networking is classic nepotism; favoritism granted to friends or relatives regardless of merit. Instead of striving to be the best match for a fellow firm’s needs, parasitic networkers search for the decision-maker of a company and become “friends” with a shallow, tenuous personal connection. Then, they offer a one-sided business relationship with a firm handshake, a few personal perks and a winning smile. Click Here to Read Article …

Saying “no” at work is a surprisingly difficult thing to do. In the minds of your coworkers, the word can land you with the stigma of negativity. Similarly, turning down a client’s request with a blunt “no” can cause you to lose their favor.

Still, sometimes it has to be done. “No” is sometimes necessary, and if it’s used carefully, it can save both sides of the dialogue from unneeded stress and wasted time.

A List Apart has an excellent guide on how to say no properly, supporting it with valid reasons – yet remaining positive to your coworkers and favorable to your clients.

In the long term, a thoughtful, carefully-delivered “no” can be much more positive than saying “yes” as a thoughtless, knee-jerk reaction.

Creativity is a commendable quality. Good ideas are very valuable, and a person with repeated sparks of genius is priceless. But, even the most creative ideas amount to nothing if they’re not organized, established and executed. That’s where Scott Belsky, author of Making Ideas Happen can empower you with the follow-through needed to bring your intangible ideas into reality. Click Here to Read Article …

I have a love/hate relationship with buzzwords: I’m greatly amused when I hear a burst of buzzwords come out of a competent colleague’s mouth, but it’s infuriating to watch them used to wiggle out of responsibility or cover up a coworker’s underwhelming skill set. Sometimes I wonder if so-called “business acumen” is nothing more than the frequent use of buzzwords and glittery business jargon.

So, I decided to learn a new sub-dialect of English: buzzword.

I was previously using Buzzwhack as my buzzword dictionary of choice, but I was recently shown Unsuck It, a buzzword haven where you can view their collection of carefully curated buzzwords, submit new entries and even take a shot at “unsucking” one of the undefined terms with a concise, sensible translation. It’s really pushing the envelope of bleeding edge, web 2.0crowdsourcing! Just kidding, it’s an interesting project, and it will obviously grow as it gains momentum from submissions and definitions. Maybe Unsuck It will become the Merriam-Webster of buzzwords. So, if you wonder what “solutioneering” might mean, or are puzzled by the term “bucketize,” this is the place where you can learn it, submit it or define it.